Student Pregnancy & Expectant Parents

If you are an undergraduate student and who receives funding from Student Finance England (or equivalent funding body), your financial support may stop when you begin maternity leave or take time away from your studies. Students should seek advice from their funding body (for example Student Finance England) or from the Students’ Union Advice Centre.

Available funding

Where you are a home student, you may be eligible for Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) or Maternity Allowance (MA), and the Sure Start Maternity Grant - for more information please visit the below pages:

Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)

Maternity Allowance (MA)

Sure Start Maternity Grant

Student Support Fund

If you find yourself in financial hardship whilst studying at the University, the Student Support Fund is designed to help you. Further information on eligibility and how to apply can be found here.

If you're pregnant, you're entitled to take up to 52 weeks leave from your studies. If you wish to take maternity leave you should apply for suspension from your studies; your Student Office or Personal Academic Tutor will be able to advise you on how to arrange your maternity leave. Being pregnant does not mean that you'll have to leave University or suspend your studies, how long you do or do not take away from your studies is entirely your decision and dependent upon your circumstance; the University can work with you to make suitable arrangements.

Suspension will usually be ‘with services’ so that you can retain library access, access your University email account and Blackboard services.

If you are the father of a child, or partner of a student who is pregnant you may take two weeks paternity leave immediately following the birth of the child (and no later than 56 days after the birth). A request for paternity leave should be made via your Student Office. You must also notify your Personal Academic Tutor or Supervisor.

Please refer to the Student Maternity Policy, at the bottom of the page, for further detail.

Information on Maternity and Shared Parental Leave for Research students can be found here.

The room, on Highfield Campus, is dedicated to the needs of new and expectant parents. Based in Building 6, the room contains separate areas for resting, socialising and privacy and can used by students, staff and visitors.

The University and Students' Union have a number of facilities across our campuses for new and expectant parents. These can all be located using the University's online campus maps, just select the infant amenities layer to show where they can be found. To gain access to any of the facilities, contact your Student Office who can arrange this for you.

Before returning to your studies, after maternity leave, you should contact your Student Office, Personal Academic Tutor or Supervisor at the earliest opportunity and at least a month prior to your return, in order to discuss your planned date of return and how your return to study will be managed.

The University is committed to supporting our students with parenting responsibilities; you can find information and support for Student Parents here.

International students should contact the VISAs Team during pregnancy, as they will be able to advise on any visa implications, as well as maternity leave.

The VISAs Team can be contacted online.

The following websites can provide information and guidance during pregnancy and for expectant parents.

NHS Pregnancy & Baby Guide

The Family Planning Association

Firgrove Centre

Miscarriage Association

British Pregnancy Advisory Service

National Childbirth Trust

Sands

Marie Stopes UK

Bounty

The University cannot accept responsibility for external websites.